For
Ban to Speak
on Syria
Probe, Circus
of Media
Screening Then
Reversal

By
Matthew
Russell Lee

UNITED
NATIONS, April
29, updated
-- If this is
how the UN
will organize
its supposed
investigation
of chemical
weapons in
Syria, it
doesn't look
good. Video
here.

For
Ban Ki-moon's
10:05 am
“statement”
about the
probe, the
press was told
to assemble at
9:15 am at the
office of UN
Media
Accreditation
and Liaison
Unit on the
second floor.
But Inner City
Press was told
that the
screening
equipment
there didn't
work, and so
headed with
the herd down
to the lobby.

There,
camera people
were told to
get in one
line,
reporters in
another. But
then after a
security
screening line
that made US
airports look
like a ballet,
the groups all
joined
together, with
some still
unscreened. It
appeared to
operate on the
honor system.

Jammed
into several
elevators up
to the 38th floor
-- where the
herd was told
to turn
around, Ban
Ki-moon would
speak in the
lobby. Why he
was speaking
before rather
than after he
met his
Swedish prober
Ake Sellstrom
was not
explained.

Down
in the lobby
there was no
UN wi-fi.
Outside, Ban's
taciturn head
of
Peacekeeping
Herve Ladsous
stood smoking,
before heading
to the
Security
Council to
dissemble
about Darfur.
On April 25 he
refused Inner
City Press
questions
about Mali,
Congo, Western
Sahara and
Cote d'Ivoire.
But at least
one didn't
have to wait
50 minutes to
try to ask a
question.

Is
this how the
UN would
conduct its
Syria probe?
Watch this
site.

Update
of 10:15 am -
and after all
that, Ban
Ki-moon took
no questions,
had little
information;
it was said
that there'd
be more “at
lunchtime.”

Update
of 10:45 am -
here is UN's
transcript:

PRESS
ENCOUNTER ON
SYRIA
New York, 29
April 2013

Ladies and
Gentlemen,

I am pleased
to welcome Dr.
Åke Sellström,
who I
appointed last
month to lead
the
fact-finding
mission of the
United Nations
into
allegations of
the use of
chemical
weapons in
Syria.

He is an
accomplished
scientist with
a solid
background in
disarmament
and
international
security.
I met Dr.
Sellström for
the first time
in The Hague
last month on
the occasion
of my
participation
in the Review
Conference of
the Chemical
Weapons
Convention.
This is my
second time
[to see him],
but first time
in New York.
I’d like to
welcome him.

Dr. Sellström
and his team
of experts
remain ready
to deploy to
Syria within
24 to 48
hours. An
advance team
is in position
in Cyprus as
you know. I
have complete
confidence in
their
integrity,
independence
and
professionalism
of Dr. Åke
Sellström and
his team of
experts.

Even while
waiting for
Syrian consent
to enter the
country, they
have been
doing what
they have to
do and what
they can to
gather and
analyze
available
information.
These
activities
include
possible
visits to
relevant
capitals.

This is a
crucial moment
in our efforts
to get the
team on the
ground to
carry out its
important
task. I
take seriously
the recent
intelligence
report of the
United States
about the use
of chemical
weapons in
Syria.
On-site
activities are
essential if
the United
Nations is to
be able to
establish the
facts and
clear up all
the doubts
surrounding
this issue.

A credible and
comprehensive
inquiry
requires full
access to the
sites where
chemical
weapons are
alleged to
have been
used. I again
urge the
Syrian
authorities to
allow the
investigation
to proceed
without delay
and without
any
conditions.

Today, 29
April, is the
annual Day of
Remembrance
for the
Victims of
Chemical
Warfare. As we
address these
allegations, I
encourage all
involved to
uphold their
responsibilities
in enabling us
to properly
police these
heinous
weapons of
massive
destruction.